Convergence

Magic Revealed

I walked through my front door going through my usual home routine. I placed my bag on the floor next to the kitchen sink and poured a glass of cold water from the fridge. I drank it quickly hoping the brain freeze would help me forget about the incident. I had no such luck. A cold shiver ran through me as the water made its way through my body, or maybe it was the damp clothes. I stared out of the front window with the empty glass in hand. What was that old woman talking about? How could she believe so much in magic? It didn't exist, right?

I let my mind wander to escape my ordeal remembering a time one winter as a child when all I wanted was for it to snow. It was unseasonably warm and felt more like spring in the middle of December. Dad had told me there was no moisture of any kind in the forecast and to stop letting it get to me, but I was convinced that if I wanted it bad enough, it would happen. The next morning, my front yard was covered in snow, but no one else's. It was melted by the end of the day, but the point was that it snowed. I was convinced then that I had powers, but Dad practically beat that idea out of me. He never wanted me even thinking about things like fairies and unicorns let alone telling people I had powers.

Looking out the window with the memory intact, a few flakes fell from the sky. At first, I thought it was just the cottonwood puffs being blown from their trees by the wind as so often happened (though not always lasting to the end of August), but after closer inspection saw the large white flakes float to the ground and stick without melting.

I jumped back from the window dropping my glass, the crash vaguely resonating in my ear. "That's not possible."

I ran outside around to the side of the house to a pile of gathering snow and put my hands in it. Sure enough, it was cold and melted in my hands. A few cool flakes touched my neck and melted down my back.

"That's not possible!"

"What's not possible?"

I turned quickly toward the sound of the voice. Ricardo Ortega stood by the corner in his stupid T-shirt and stupid jeans both too big for his frame with his stupid uncombed black hair flapping in the breeze. I had forgotten he was coming over to help me with a science worksheet. I hated needing his help, I hated needing anyone's help, but he had this way of explaining things in a way I understood.

"Is that snow?" he asked.

I wanted it to disappear so bad I could taste it. I held my hands over it trying to hide the pile from him not knowing what to do about the stuff falling.

"Why would it be snowing? It's like eighty-five degrees outside."

"What are you hiding?"

"Hiding? Why would I be hiding anything?"

He walked over and moved my hands. The pile was gone and the only things falling were normal white puffs from the cottonwoods, something far more believable than snow.

"See," I said. "Not hiding anything."

He tilted his head slightly scrutinizing my movements. "You look like hell."

I rolled my eyes. "Like you should talk."

He offered his hand to help me up, but I slapped it away. "Well, whatever. Let's just get this done."

Rick followed me inside. He stood in the front hall with his hands in his pockets scanning the décor. "Nice house. You live like a princess." He lifted a statue from the hall table and examined it before putting it back.

"I am not a princess." The comment came out sharp. I adjusted the statue until it was in its exact proper place and took in a deep breath. "Would you like something to drink or a snack?"